Gratitude To the Elderly

Gratitude

To the Elderly

Our seniors have given their lives

working and raising families

to make life better for all of us.

Look around you

and see how many things you enjoy

because of them

and send a little gratitude their way.

I have always loved the elderly.

My grandparents were wonderful to me.

Sandy’s grandparents on her dad’s side

died before I knew her.

But her grandparents on her mother’s side

were wonderful to me, too.

Many people do not want to grow old.

I am not one of those people;

I have always dreamed about the golden years.

I have dreamed of coming to a place in life

where I am not working for a house payment.

A time where I can encourage love

on young people.

I look forward to being a blessing,

like my grandparents and other elderly people

have been to me.

I realize that not all elderly people

have a wonderful disposition.

Some of it is caused from their choices.

For many growing old is hard….

they worry and sometimes

medications effect their moods.

When the Apostle Paul writes to Timothy,

a young pastor,

he instructs him about the elderly.

He encourages Timothy and the church

to honor, respect and care for the elderly.

From the Message Bible,

we find we should do this out of gratitude.

Paul tells us that there are those

who lived a good life

and we should show

our gratefulness to them

by making sure they are cared for.

Children and grandchildren should especially

show their gratitude by making sure

the elderly family members are cared for.

Look around you….

much of what you and I see,

someone older than us contributed

in some way to it being there for us.

So let’s show our gratitude to them!

Scripture Reading

1 Timothy 5:1-8 THE MESSAGE

Don't be harsh or impatient with an older man.

Talk to him as you would your own father,

and to the younger men as your brothers.

2 Reverently honor an older woman

as you would your mother,

and the younger women as sisters.

3 Take care of widows who are destitute.

4 If a widow has family members to take care of her,

let them learn that religion begins at their own doorstep

and that they should pay back

with gratitude some of what they have received.

This pleases God immensely.

5 You can tell a legitimate widow

by the way she has put all her hope in God,

praying to him constantly

for the needs of others as well as her own.

6 But a widow who exploits people's emotions and pocketbooks

 — well, there's nothing to her.

7 Tell these things to the people

so that they will do the right thing in their extended family.

8 Anyone who neglects to care for family members

in need repudiates the faith.

That's worse than refusing to believe in the first place.